But in that month, something miraculous happened. The little garden that we considered kaput made a last stand. The severed tomato plants burst into bloom. The one-and-done pepper plant popped five more. The transplanted basil flourished. The Swiss chard filled two squares to the brim.

Our experiment was a revelation! Despite blight, wacky weather, easily distracted owners, and the vagaries of natural existence, the life we put in that dirt won the day. No crying here, it seemed to say -- you put us here for a reason, and we intend to fulfill that expectation.

That, I think, is the best lesson from the Tazewell Garden Project. Sure, it's nice to know the correct times to plant things now, and how to prevent blight from spreading, and how much water to give certain plants. But it's even better to know that when we seem down for the count, rallies can -- and do -- and should -- happen.

So our garden bloomed again. We cooked one last dinner. And it was good.

Until next year, little garden. And for you garden fans, here's one more batch of pics to leave the taste of summer lingering a little while longer on your tongues ...

Note on slideshow: Click on "full screen" icon in lower right and then "show info" in upper right corner to see the captions.